Why EdTech Fails in Schools: A Sociotechnical and Critical Analysis of Implementation Breakdown
Abstract Despite sustained global investment in educational technology (EdTech), evidence of its transformative impact on teaching and learning remains inconsistent. While technological systems are often promoted as solutions to educational inefficiencies and inequities, their implementation in school contexts frequently results in limited uptake, superficial use, or outright failure. This article critically examines the systemic reasons behind EdTech implementation failure in schools, arguing that such failures are not primarily technical but sociotechnical in nature. Drawing on contemporary scholarship (2020–2025), the paper analyses five key dimensions of breakdown: pedagogical misalignment, professional resistance, infrastructural inequality, datafication without meaning, and policy-level shortcomings. Attention is given to the role of adaptive learning systems as emblematic of both the promise and failure of EdTech. The article situates these issues within broader debates ...
